The Neurosciences at Tufts University School of Medicine (TUSM) have recently been identified, as part of a Strategic planning process, for expansion by hiring a new chair and new faculty. The PI of this application has been recruited to Tufts as the Chair of the Neuroscience Department and has already made four additional hires. The purpose of this application is to form a partnership between the NIH and Tufts so that we can expand this program to hire additional tenure-track assistant professors. We request funds to hire two tenure-track assistant professors, and together with funds from TUSM provide the setup packages for these new faculty. This institutional commitment includes the recent renovation of new laboratory space for these recruits (completed in May 2009), $1.4 million of funds towards the total setup package, as well as a guarantee of hard salary support for the recruits for the two year period beyond the completion of this grant. The Neurosciences at TUSM is focusing on three specialties to enhance our Synapse Group: the study of synaptic transmission per se, as well as studies of disorders of the nervous system and neuron-glial interactions within the context of the synapse. Each of these areas is mutually supportive and partially overlapping providing focus to our development. Moreover, this blend of specialties provides us with our own niche so that as we excel we can be recognized as leaders in these areas. In this project we have three objectives: Objective 1: Recruit the best candidates to enhance the study of synapse neurobiology at Tufts. Objective 2: IVIentor, enhance and promote the careers of newly recruited faculty. Objective 3: Augment collaborative studies at Tufts through Core Research Grants. By achieving these objectives our goal is to develop a world-class program that is performing state-of-the-art studies in synapse neurobiology and is identifying the mechanisms underlying the control of brain and behavior in health and disease.